Pediatric Physical Therapy Services

We treat a variety of acute and chronic injuries and conditions

If you are looking for physical therapy for your child, then you’ve come to the right place.

Our physical therapists treat children and adolescents of all ages and abilities. We are skilled at treating children with both acute and chronic injuries and disabilities, such as sports injuries, orthopedic impairments, autism, cerebral palsy, JRA, and developmental delays. Common issues that our therapists treat include weak and tight muscles, joint laxity, poor balance, and poor coordination. 

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Conditions Treated with Physical Therapy

Click on any of the conditions below for more information about how our team of therapists at Orange Pediatric Therapy can help your child.  Don’t see the condition you’re looking for? Contact us to learn more.

Sports injuries range from sprains and strains to fractures and ligament tears. Concussions are also included here.

Physical therapists at OPT are familiar in treating a variety of orthopedic injuries and post-surgical patients. We work closely with patients and physicians to follow necessary treatment protocols. In addition to rehabilitation of the injured body part, physical therapists at OPT are dedicated to educating patients and families on injury prevention to limit injury recurrence.

Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders can display some gross motor deficits, but not all of these children exhibit gross motor limitations. In addition to gross motor difficulties, many children with ASD exhibit language delays, difficulties with social interaction, sensory processing difficulties and other fine motor concerns. At Orange Pediatric Therapy, our physical therapists often work with children with ASD through a team approach with our occupational therapists and speech therapists to encompass the individual child’s needs as a whole. For more information visit www.autismspeaks.org new-window-icon

Children with cerebral palsy exhibit abnormalities in muscle tone and strength which can lead to range of motion limitations, bony deformities, balance and coordination deficits. As a result, functional mobility skills (i.e. crawling, standing, walking, etc) are negatively impacted.

Our therapists work with these children to improve upon their specific limitations through individualized functional programs suited to fit each individual child’s needs.  In addition to treatment programming, we work with families to perform adaptive equipment evaluations for wheelchairs, adaptive seating, standers, gait trainers and walking aides as well as orthotic assessments in order to achieve the maximum extent of mobility possible.

Children who exhibit developmental delays are considered to be behind their same age peers in achieving their gross motor milestones.  Learn more about developmental milestones within our Family Resources section. At Orange Pediatric Therapy, we work with children and families to determine not only what the delays are, but why the delays are present by completing a comprehensive gross motor evaluation.  Treatment is geared towards improving the impairments that lead to difficulties in performing age appropriate motor skills.
Children who have been diagnosed with genetic disorders face a wide range of challenges and limitations. Physical therapists at Orange Pediatric Therapy will work with patients and families perform a comprehensive evaluation to determine each individual child’s impairments and limitations.  The individual needs of each child will be addressed through individualized therapy programs.  Referrals to occupational therapy and/or speech therapy may also be beneficial to address potential concerns in those areas.
Children with JRA often exhibit joint pain and swelling as well as range of motion deficits in the affected joints. Our team of physical therapists at Orange Pediatric Therapy works closely with patients, families and physicians to reduce pain and swelling in affected joints as well as improve joint range of motion through a variety of therapeutic techniques including but not limited to passive range of motion, soft tissue massage/mobilization and functional activities as tolerated by the patient.  These children often respond well to aquatic therapy, which helps to decrease weight-bearing through painful joints while increasing the amount of movement within these joints.

Neurological impairments include diagnoses that affect the brain’s ability to transmit neurological signals to the rest of the body. Children with neurological impairments may exhibit abnormalities in muscle tone and strength which can lead to range of motion limitations, bony deformities, balance and coordination deficits. As a result, functional mobility skills may be negatively impacted.

Our therapists work with these children to improve their limitations through specific functional programs suited to fit each individual child’s needs. In addition to treatment programming, we work with families to perform adaptive equipment evaluations for wheelchairs, adaptive seating, standers, gait trainers and walking aides as well as orthotic assessments in order to achieve the maximum extent of mobility possible.

Neuromuscular disorders encompass diagnoses or disorders that affect one’s ability to move his/her arms, legs or trunk. This includes but is not limited to diagnoses of muscular dystrophy, spinal muscular atrophy, spina bifida and myopathies.

Physical therapists at OPT will work with these patients and families to address movement impairments through strengthening, stretching, positioning, and energy conservation strategies. Our therapists will also work closely with families to obtain adaptive equipment and/or orthotic devices as needed for each individual child.

Toe walking is a commonly seen diagnosis and is often accompanied by tightness of the gastrocnemius/soleus complex (calf muscles). Children who are toe walkers often begin toe walking from an early age and may go undetected for some time before concerns are raised by the parents.  Causes of toe walking can be idiopathic (unknown), neurological impairments or sensory processing disorders. Our team of physical therapists at Orange Pediatric Therapy will work with patients and families to determine the cause of toe walking in order to guide treatment appropriately.  If the family expresses some sensory concerns, a referral to occupational therapy may be warranted to rule out sensory processing disorders.  Physical therapy treatment will address muscle tightness, muscle weakness and body mechanics to promote improvements with gait patterns.

Torticollis is a condition primarily seen in infants and is characterized by tightness of the sternocleidomastoid muscle in the neck, resulting in abnormal positioning of the head. Babies with torticollis may also present with flattening of the head (plagiocephaly) due to poor head positioning.

Physical therapists at Orange Pediatric Therapy work closely with these families to develop therapeutic programs that incorporate stretching, positioning and gross motor skill development.  Our therapists will also work with families and physicians to determine whether or not there is a need for a cranial orthosis to help with correction of plagiocephaly.

Our specific pediatric physical therapy treatment programs are dependent upon your child’s individual needs, but interventions and strategies used to elicit positive results can include the following.

  • Facilitation of developmental gross motor skills such as rolling, sitting, crawling, standing and walking
  • Improvement of strength and core stability through functional activities
  • Incorporating balance and coordination skills into play based activities
  • Developing stretching programs to promote improvements in muscle length and joint range of motion
  • Decreasing pain through the use of therapeutic modalities
  • Acquisition of adaptive equipment and patient education as needed to suit each individual child’s needs
  • Aquatic therapy to assist children in acquiring skills in the water that may be too difficult for an individual child to achieve through land-based activities

What Clients Are Saying

I love working at Cheshire Fitness Zone because the therapy team is always willing to collaborate and share different treatment strategies and therapy techniques. You are never at a loss for ideas!
Anonymous
Both of our sons have participated in physical, occupational, and speech therapy at Cheshire Fitness Zone. We make the forty minute trek to Cheshire three times per week because the therapists are like none other we have encountered. Our sons (4 and 5 years old) have received therapy since birth and I was so pleased to have found Cheshire Fitness Zone. Both of my kids have been challenged and nurtured by the therapists. They are so amazing with the kids and I am thankful for their dedication.
Katy Blanchette
My girls have been going to Cheshire Fitness Zone since the summer of 2015 and the therapy they receive from their therapist is the best therapy they have ever received. The therapists are the friendliest and nicest group of therapists we have ever met. The girls enjoy going to therapy and I am very happy that we go to Cheshire Fitness Zone.
Anonymous
We can’t thank you enough. I don’t think we would be where we are if it wasn’t for your care, guidance, and support for Cole and us.
Joyce Ann Piepenbring
The physical therapists at Cheshire Fitness Zone are warm, caring individuals. They have worked with my daughter for about a year and a half now and she has made tremendous progress building her core strength, coordination, balance, and overall strengthening. I recommend them highly.
Kristine Livolsi
Cheshire Fitness Zone has tremendously helped not only our two children receiving services, but our entire family. The atmosphere in the clinic is friendly, supportive, and understanding. Their office staff is amazing and accommodates each family’s schedule and needs. Our children receive speech, OT, and PT services. Every one of the therapists they have worked with has been wonderful and our children have made incredible progress. The kids also love going to all of their therapy sessions because the therapists make each and every session fun and exciting. We are so fortunate to have found Cheshire Fitness Zone and recommend it to any family looking for services for their children.
Delia Falcon (Special Education Teacher)
From the moment you check in at the front desk to your discussion with your therapist at the end of the session, you feel at home, respected, and in great hands. The improvements you will see in your child will say it all.
Melissa Linehan
We have been coming to Cheshire Fitness Zone for more than two years. The therapists are friendly, compassionate, and professional. Not only do they do a fabulous job with the therapy, but they also consider the individual behavioral needs for our son. They are caring while pushing him to achieve goals that at times he might feel he can do and he does. Thank you to Craig and the staff for all that you do!
The Smedbergs
My family has been blessed with this amazing crew at Cheshire Fitness Zone for almost five years. My daughter started PT at six months of age when we discovered unexpected delays. The staff from day one has gone above and beyond to help my daughter to be where she is today. They are not only extremely knowledgeable in their individual fields, but make everyone who walks through their door feel welcome and cared for. After the past five years, I consider these individuals like family. They have taught me so many ways to help my daughter and also to strive for the best and prepare for her future. I would highly recommend Cheshire Fitness Zone to anyone who needs services for their children. We appreciate it more than you’ll ever know.
Lisa Werdann
Cheshire Fitness Zone therapists offer hope, encouragement, and creativity. They deliver on persistence, personal gains, and individual growth because they genuinely care. In spite of working on the steps to tie his shoes for over six months at a different facility, at Cheshire Fitness Zone Erin never lost hope or let him quit. Although he had no idea each week she worked on skills that when put together would tie a shoe. She approached the idea of tying many times only to be met with complete resistance and totally shutting down. Then one day he came to me after his session and said, ‘Hey mom, guess what? I can tie my shoes.’ When I saw the pride in his eyes and the encouragement on Erin’s face I knew he had done it. It was one of the happiest moments of his childhood. What a gift…self-pride and independence.
Stacey Lyn
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